Kostelanetz & Fink Expands to D.C.

Posted on May 11, 2017

Former Head of DOJ Tax Division and Former Assistant Chief of Criminal Enforcement to Launch New Washington Office

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 11, 2017) — Kostelanetz & Fink, LLP is pleased to announce that Caroline Ciraolo, former head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division, and Jay Nanavati, a former Assistant Chief of the Tax Division’s Criminal Enforcement Section, have joined the firm as partners and founders of the firm’s new Washington, D.C. office.

“We are very pleased to welcome Caroline and Jay as partners in the firm. Each brings a wealth of government experience and an impressive track record of producing winning strategies for their clients as defense counsel,” said Bryan Skarlatos, managing partner of Kostelanetz & Fink, LLP. “After operating exclusively from New York for over sixty years, we are excited about launching the Washington, D.C. office as a natural enhancement to our government-oriented tax, regulatory, and white collar criminal practice. Caroline and Jay are accomplished and talented lawyers who will both deepen our bench and grow the firm’s practice in the nation’s capital.”

Ms. Ciraolo and Mr. Nanavati will focus on complex and sophisticated civil tax controversies, including sensitive audits, administrative appeals, and litigation in the U.S. Tax Court, federal district and appellate courts, and state tax tribunals; related tax advice, including advice on uncertain tax positions, financial reporting, claims for refund, amended returns, voluntary disclosures, and internal investigations; and representation of individuals and institutions in white collar and criminal tax investigations and prosecutions.

“I am delighted to join the talented and distinguished team at Kostelanetz & Fink, a firm with a national and international reputation for effectively and efficiently resolving their clients’ most challenging problems. I look forward to providing the unique insights I developed inside and outside of the Justice Department," said Ms. Ciraolo.

Mr. Nanavati added “I am honored to join Kostelanetz & Fink. I have always held the firm’s lawyers in great esteem for their commitment to providing their clients the finest legal services with creativity, efficiency, and collegiality.”

As Acting Assistant Attorney General, Ms. Ciraolo managed all aspects of Tax Division operations, including the Swiss Bank Program, which, under her leadership, held 80 Swiss financial institutions accountable for facilitating tax evasion by U.S. accountholders. Her tenure at the Department also was marked by increased civil and criminal employment tax enforcement, and a focus on traditional tax crimes. Previously, Ms. Ciraolo practiced in Baltimore, Maryland, representing clients in all phases of state and federal civil and criminal tax controversies.

Mr. Nanavati spent more than a decade as a federal and state prosecutor, most recently serving as an Assistant Chief in the Tax Division’s Criminal Enforcement Section for the Western Region. He joins Kostelanetz & Fink from a leading national law firm, where he maintained an international practice, focusing on white collar criminal defense and investigations. He represents individuals and entities facing complex investigations and prosecutions.